The initial processing of every GLAS I and GLAS II case for 2016 payment was completed last week, according to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed.
Out of these 36,700 applications, approximately 1,400 applicants will have been informed that further information is required from them before their application can be advanced, Minister Creed said.
“It is now a matter for the applicant, together with their advisor, to consider how they wish to proceed,” he said.
So far, 34,863 GLAS I and GLAS II applicants have received 85% of their total 2016 payment; this represents just under 95% of all applications received, Minister Creed said.
This leaves approximately 600 applicants whose cases are being reviewed by the department and every effort is being made to move these cases towards payment as quickly as possible.
Minister Creed revealed the information in response to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fail’s Agriculture Spokesperson, Charlie McConalogue.
Close to 90% of AEOS applicants receive 2016 payment
Just over 89% of applicants to the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) have received their 2016 payment, the latest figures show.
A total of 8,640 applications to the scheme were received; Minister Creed recently revealed that 7,701 applicants have now been paid and the remaining 939 applicants are awaiting processing.
The counties with the highest number of applications waiting to be processed include: Donegal with 141; Galway with 122; and Mayo with 109.
“Under the EU regulations governing the scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check – including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System – must take place.
“As 2016 is the final scheme-year of payment for AEOS 2 participants, re-checks on payments made for all scheme years must be completed before the final payment can be processed.
“This work is ongoing and payments are made on a weekly basis to cases that have been finalised,” Minister Creed said.